Complementary and Alternative Medicine Use and Quality of Life in Patients with Primary Brain Tumors

This study explored the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) approaches and their relationship with demographic and disease characteristics and quality of life (QOL) in the primary brain tumor (PBT) population. One hundred one PBT patients were enrolled in this study. The results show...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of pain and symptom management 2006-08, Vol.32 (2), p.148-154
Main Authors: Armstrong, Terri, Cohen, Marlene Z., Hess, Kenneth R., Manning, Rochelle, Lee, Eva Lu T., Tamayo, Geline, Baumgartner, Karen, Min, Sur J., Yung, Alfred, Gilbert, Mark
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Age Distribution
Aged
Biological and medical sciences
Brain Neoplasms - epidemiology
Brain Neoplasms - rehabilitation
brain tumors
complementary medicine
Complementary Therapies - utilization
Female
Humans
Male
Medical sciences
Middle Aged
Neurology
Outcome Assessment (Health Care)
Palliative Care - statistics & numerical data
Pharmacology. Drug treatments
Quality of Life
Risk Assessment - methods
Risk Factors
Sex Distribution
Texas - epidemiology
Treatment Outcome
Tumors of the nervous system. Phacomatoses
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Summary:This study explored the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) approaches and their relationship with demographic and disease characteristics and quality of life (QOL) in the primary brain tumor (PBT) population. One hundred one PBT patients were enrolled in this study. The results showed that 34% of patients reported using CAM. Forty-one percent reported using more than one type of CAM. The average cost of each CAM used per month was $69, with 20% of patients spending more than $100 per month. The majority (74%) reported that their physicians were unaware of their use of CAM. Data analysis found a higher performance status to be the only factor significantly related to use of CAM therapy ( P < 0.005). There was no difference in patient report of QOL between users and nonusers of CAM therapies. The high number of patients who do not report CAM use has potential implications for evaluation of symptoms and response to therapy in this population. This may be especially relevant in those patients with higher functional status participating in clinical trials.
ISSN:0885-3924
1873-6513
DOI:10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2006.02.015